I’m becoming increasingly reliant on my Android phone, and it’s not only for doomscrolling or taking photos of my cat.
Modern smartphones have a surprisingly large number of sensors baked into their hardware. I’m not talking just about the ambient light sensor for automatic screen brightness or measuring decibels with the microphone.
A phone’s accelerometer can measure movements, and its cameras can act as an augmented-reality ruler. Its sensors are so comprehensive that they could replace actual measurement tools.
To see how well these sensors can replicate physical hardware, I tested several apps from the Play Store that measure various everyday objects and scenarios.
I downloaded four to five free apps per category and picked the most accurate ones compared to their equivalent physical tools.
To simplify the experiment and keep it fair, I used only one phone across all the tests. It’s ARCore-compatible and comes with a host of sensors, including a gyroscope and magnetometer, among many others.
They’re free for the taking
One physical tool I’m confident I can replace is the bubble level. A bubble level app uses the phone’s gyroscope and accelerometer to check how even a surface is.
I compared the app to a real liquid-filled leveling tool, and it worked perfectly fine. My app also allowed calibration on a surface that I was sure was absolutely flat.
This allowed me to leave my bubble level tool at home and rely on my app during a recent move to a new apartment.
The second app I believe could replace its physical counterpart is a digital compass. Using my phone’s magnetometer, the app accurately pointed me in the right direction.
I used a basic compass attached to my car’s dashboard and compared its reading to my app at every stop. I didn’t need to calibrate it to get the correct direction at the app’s initial startup.
While it was nice to see how precisely my phone’s sensor performed, I didn’t see much need for the app outside occasional camping trips in remote areas. Google Maps and Waze are still the preferred apps for urban navigation.
Other apps could imitate, but not replace
They can only be used in a pinch
Augmented-reality (AR) measuring apps leave a lot to be desired. I tested a couple of AR camera apps to measure my room and random objects. I relied on a tape measure for comparing measurements.
AR-generated measurements were often off by an inch or two from the actual reading. Worse, the apps’ viewfinders were finicky and didn’t provide consistent results.
Instead, I turned to simple ruler apps. The ones I found aligned surprisingly well with my real-world ruler.
Next, I turned to the ambient light sensor and microphone. I was curious how they’d fare against my dedicated light meter and guitar tuner.
I normally use a light metering device while using one of my old-school film cameras. The app I chose displayed somewhat accurate readings compared to my dedicated device in a variety of environments.
Unfortunately, my phone’s screen has to face the subject because the ambient light sensor is there. This makes checking the reading cumbersome. For comparison, my dedicated light meter has the sensor and screen on the opposite sides of its frame.
The audio tuning app I downloaded couldn’t catch the fine adjustments I made on my guitar. While the physical guitar tuner could catch notes right off the bat, the app lagged and often missed the mark.
Both the light meter and guitar tuning apps are handy in desperate situations, but I wouldn’t use either for serious projects where precision matters.
Many measuring apps can’t measure anything at all
Best left as party tricks
I tested several thermometer apps, and none could accurately measure my room’s temperature. I checked at least five apps against a real thermometer, and it felt like they were guesstimating the readings.
Without a temperature sensor, a phone can’t gauge heat in its surroundings. For reference, only a handful of modern smartphones have this sensor, including select Google Pixel phones. Sadly, the Pixel 11 series ditched this feature.
Additionally, some of the aforementioned bubble level and compass apps include elevation readings. Every app got my current elevation wrong.
I used my smartwatch’s built-in altimeter for a head-to-head comparison. None of the apps I downloaded came close to my watch’s elevation measurement.
Apps can’t fabricate missing sensors
Don’t throw out your toolbox just yet
I concluded a couple of things after these trials. One, some genuinely useful apps could replace real-world tools; two, countless Play Store apps promise more than they deliver.
The apps I found most useful revolved around my phone’s gyroscope and accelerometer. Apps like the bubble level and compass will stay in my app drawer. I’ll also keep the guitar tuner and light meter for emergencies, even though they’re inferior to their real-world equivalents.
Of all the categories I tested, I secretly wanted AR measuring apps to perform the best. Using my camera to survey a room and measure dimensions would have been superior to using a tape measure.
As much as I would like an all-in-one tool, I wouldn’t go out of my way to choose my future smartphone based on its sensors and AR capabilities. Nothing beats the reliability of physical hardware that has stood the test of time.
